MJ vs Elvis Who will be remember as the biggest icon?

[Cajuncowboy]

I'd actually be very surprised if MJ didn't top that list for the next year and a half or so. I'd expect a pretty steep decline after that, however.

That will be the true test. Once the mania over his death has subsided, to see if he can still sustain it as Elvis has.

 

[Hostile]

I just walked up to my 16 year old daughter and asked her to name an Elvis Presley song. She is completely unaware of my amusement with this thread. Without a pause she said, "Jailhouse Rock."

I cracked up. I asked her how she knew of that song. "It's on Guitar Hero."

I had not even considered that video game as part of his iconic status. I don't play video games after all.

My wife and she asked me what I thought was so funny. I explained the thread. My daughter said, "I don't think that is even possible."

I then asked her to name a Beatles song off the top of her head. "Hey Jude." I asked her if it was on Guitar Hero and she said it isn't.

I cannot emphasize this enough...there is not an Elvis or Beatles CD in this house. I do not own any of Elvis' movies either.

I am dying to wake up my 12 year old and ask her the same questions.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I don't know how much plainer you can make it.

I know who the Beatles are, but I can't tell you a name of one of their songs, hell I can't tell you the name of everyone that is the group.

No kidding.

I knew the guy was insanely famous.

I knew he was married to Priscilla Pressely.

I knew Lisa Marie was his daughter.

I knew he was an actor and a music legend.

I know what he looks and sounds like.

Now if you start asking me for details like knowing some lyrics of his songs, or the name of his songs, I couldn't tell you if my life depended on it.

But like I said, Elvis was GOD to some people and likewise for Mike.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Maybe I should call my 15 year old niece and her and her friend who is staying with my Mom from Oregon and ask them to name an Elvis Pressley song.

She will know who he is but I gurantee you she can't name one of his song.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

"We're the flying Elvises, Utah chapter!"

Seriously thou, Elvis was first. Elvis is the King. I would say that Michael Jackson is probably the most talented artist I've ever seen but he is not the King. Elvis had more of that "IT" factor then any performer ever IMO. Elvis was the source. He broke ground for all that was to come. Without him, you have no Rock, Pop, R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Rap, Alternative, Punk Heavy Metal, you name it. Michael Jackson was great. One of a handful of artist who can be discussed in the same class as Elvis. Same can be said for the Beetles, Frank Sinatra, maybe a few others but the discussion starts and stops at Elvis IMO.

 

[Avaj]

No kidding.

I knew the guy was insanely famous.

I knew he was married to Priscilla Pressely.

I knew Lisa Marie was his daughter.

I knew he was an actor and a music legend.

I know what he looks and sounds like.

Now if you start asking me for details like knowing some lyrics of his songs, or the name of his songs, I couldn't tell you if my life depended on it.

I'm with you. Same here. First of all Elvis and Beatles is not my type of music period. I'm jazz, gospel & R&B. That is the extent of my music I listen too and was raised on. Anything other then that I'm pretty much clueless.

 

[ethiostar]

Besides the fact that some people are just not into pop culture or that they've been exposed to different types of music all their lives.....

I had been teaching up until the end of the last school year, about two months ago. During my lectures i try to use examples of 'well known' persons or events in the world (but mostly in the US) to illustrate my points and encourage class participation. I cannot tell you the number of times i looked at the faces of the students and was greeted with blank stares, as if they're saying "what the hell is he talking about".

I'm not pulling random personalities or historical events out of nowhere mind you, I know better. I will use information that i consider to be common knowledge to everyone, but half the time only a handful of students (often older, non traditional students) can relate. Most of the time if i use examples that date back further than the 1980s, i'm pretty much guaranteed that i lose half of the students in the classroom.

Over the years, i've learned that we (most of the students and I) come from different generations. It doesn't mean noone their age wouldn't know what i'm talking about but it applies to more than i care to admit. So i try to use examples that are more accessible to their time of reference.

It is what it is.

 

[WoodysGirl]

"We're the flying Elvises, Utah chapter!"




Seriously thou, Elvis was first. Elvis is the King. I would say that Michael Jackson is probably the most talented artist I've ever seen but he is not the King. Elvis had more of that "IT" factor then any performer ever IMO. Elvis was the source. He broke ground for all that was to come. Without him, you have no Rock, Pop, R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Rap, Alternative, Punk Heavy Metal, you name it. Michael Jackson was great. One of a handful of artist who can be discussed in the same class as Elvis. Same can be said for the Beetles, Frank Sinatra, maybe a few others but the discussion starts and stops at Elvis IMO.

A bit of an exaggeration. Of that list, I'd stick to Rock, Pop, alternative, and Punk.

Elvis was influenced by blues, soul, and gospel....all which existed before he became king. Hip-hop and rap are heavily influenced by r&b and has roots in the jazz and blues genre.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Im currently studying with someone from Sri Lanka on Yahoo Messenger. Everyday we go over a GRE Exam and do a Q&A discussion about them. She and her husband now live in Minnesota. Her husband is getting his PHD in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and she is studying for the GRE so she can get her PHD in Chemistry as well. Here is the conversation I just had on Google with here:

michaeldeongreen: let me ask you two questions

Friend: ok

michaeldeongreen: My first question is this: Did you know who michael jackson was when you were in Sri Lanka?

Friend: yes...I did

michaeldeongreen: okay, let me ask you a second question

Friend: ok

michaeldeongreen: When you were in Sri Lanka, did you know who Elvis Pressley is?

Friend: No. Who is that?

michaeldeongreen: Hahahaha

michaeldeongreen: Okay, so you don't know who Elvis Pressley is?

Friend: no

Friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley (She sent me the link indicating that she had to look Elvis up on Wiki)

Friend: Still don't know lol

Friendis typing a message.

Friend: never seen b4

michaeldeongreen: hahahaha

michaeldeongreen: Hey, how long have you been in the US?

Friend: two years

Friend: The one & only singer that i knew is Michel

Friend: lol

Friend: my mother in law call me and asked is MJ dead?

michaeldeongreen: your mother from sri lanka?

Friend: yes, she is 65 too.

Again, this DOESN'T mean that Michael Jackson is GREATER THAN Elvis Pressley. It just shows that not everyone knows who Elvis Pressley is.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

amal0001234: some people in SL, imitate MJ.

michaeldeongreen: there are people that say that Elvis is bigger than Michael Jackson and that it isn't close

Friend: I really don't have an idea abt Elvis

Friend: Is he alive?

Friend: is typing a message.

Friend: or dead?

Friend: I'll be back

michaeldeongreen: he's dead, I believe he died in the 70s

 

[ethiostar]

Im currently studying with someone from Sri Lanka on Yahoo Messenger. Everyday we go over a GRE Exam and do a Q&A discussion about them. She and her husband now live in Minnesota. Her husband is getting his PHD in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and she is studying for the GRE so she can get her PHD in Chemistry as well. Here is the conversation I just had on Google with here:

Mike, if you can, please ask her if she remembers how some young people used to wet their hair every half hour to make it look like MJ back in the day. Of course i'm talking about those who couldn't afford to buy the jerry curl oil.

 

[Avaj]

Mike, if you can, please ask her if she remembers how some young people used to wet their hair every half hour to make it look like MJ back in the day. Of course i'm talking about those who couldn't afford to buy the jerry curl oil.

Please don't bring up the jeri curl...I had one :laugh2: You mean the activator, man I remember when I ran out of the activator, all hell broke loose. Didn't want the jeri curl to dry up. :laugh2:

 

[ethiostar]

Please don't bring up the jeri curl...I had one :laugh2: You mean the activator, man I remember when I ran out of the activator, all hell broke loose. Didn't want the jeri curl to dry up. :laugh2:

That was the name, 'activator'.

I remember young men in my neighborhood who couldn't afford it so they just stuck their head under a faucet but then in about an hour or so would have to run to the nearest water source before the hair started to develop a life of its own. :laugh2:

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Mike, if you can, please ask her if she remembers how some young people used to wet their hair every half hour to make it look like MJ back in the day. Of course i'm talking about those who couldn't afford to buy the jerry curl oil.

Just Let yo SOUUUULLLLL gloooow!!!

I need to go rent Coming to America so I can laugh

 

[Maikeru-sama]

That was the name, 'activator'.

I remember young men in my neighborhood who couldn't afford it so they just stuck their head under a faucet but then in about an hour or so would have to run to the nearest water source before the hair started to develop a life of its own. :laugh2:

Yep, I had a Jheri Curl back in 1st and 2nd Grade.

I remember the Activator and the Jheri Curl Cap I use to wear at night.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Mike, if you can, please ask her if she remembers how some young people used to wet their hair every half hour to make it look like MJ back in the day. Of course i'm talking about those who couldn't afford to buy the jerry curl oil.

She logged out for a minute. I will ask her if people in Sri Lanka had Jheri Curls.

Avaj and Ethiostar, where are you all from?

 

[ethiostar]

Just Let yo SOUUUULLLLL gloooow!!!

I need to go rent Coming to America so I can laugh

Jeri curl mullets were the best

http://i386.***BLOCKED***/albums/oo303/pumango/13318.jpg

 

[YosemiteSam]

These "estimates" are always just that -- guesses. Here's another list with completely different numbers for 2008 (note that they're in British pounds, but after conversion, they're obviously still different):

http://living.oneindia.in/insync/2009/madonna-bon-jovi-200209.html

No one knows what any of these people make because it's not public information. I'd be willing to bet quite a bit of money that Michael Jackson had gross taxable income (i.e., before deductions and credits) of more than $50 million in 2008.

And as far as the numbers for these other artists in 2008, these would be just the number assigned to how much the artist made -- not including how much record companies and other third parties made as well. Elvis' number, whatever it may be, would include all those lumped in together. So, the idea that a dead Elvis is making more than these other living artists is absurd.

More than $50M eh? It amazes me that he was in bankruptcy making the kind of numbers you just popped off the top of your head. Thats more than $4.1M per month. More than $130k per day. Jackson DID NOT make $50M last year. You are highly mistaken. His songs get no air play, he wasn't in any movies, and he didn't have any celebrity contract deals.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Yep, I had a Jheri Curl back in 1st and 2nd Grade.

I remember the Activator and the Jheri Curl Cap I use to wear at night.

I'm not shamed. I wore mine until the 9th grade.

I have lots of unfortunate pics with that hair style. The most painful was in the 3rd grade where we'd run out of activator and it was picture day at school. My brother who was in the 8th and was trying to be helpful thought he could make a batch after seeing my mom make it.

Uhmm no. By lunch, I had a two big afro puffs and puff ball in the back. I really tried to be happy in my pic.

 

[ethiostar]

She logged out for a minute. I will ask her if people in Sri Lanka had Jheri Curls.

Avaj and Ethiostar, where are you all from?

I was born and raised in Ethiopia, hence the Ethio in my handle. I moved to the US when i was 16, lived in TX for 14 years, in KY for 6 and now i'm in WV.

I can guarantee you I never heard of the name Elvis until i came to the US and i was born and raised in the capital city in Ethiopia and had access to music from all over Africa, Europe, US, Asia, etc...